China Says Kim Jong Un Pledged to Denuclearize During Visit

Promises, Promises

Updated Mar. 28, 2018 6:09AM ET / Published Mar. 28, 2018 4:45AM ET

Kim Jong Un has promised to denuclearize North Korea, according to Chinese officials who he met during his first foreign trip as leader on Tuesday. The North Korean leader’s secret trip to Beijing to meet President Xi Jinping has been seen as a precursor to his much-anticipated summit with Donald Trump in the coming months. Although North Korea’s official statement about the trip made no mention of denuclearization, China’s foreign ministry released a lengthy statement containing what it claims are direct quotes from Kim Jong Un pledging to get rid of his nuclear weapons. “It is our consistent stand to be committed to denuclearization on the peninsula, in accordance with the will of late President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong Il,” Kim Jong Un is quoted as saying. “The issue of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula can be resolved, if South Korea and the United States respond to our efforts with goodwill, create an atmosphere of peace and stability while taking progressive and synchronous measures for the realization of peace.” Trump welcomed the reports on Twitter early Wednesday morning.